77 signs that you’re a traveller for life…

Last weekend I travelled back to the UK from the Netherlands for a family gathering and being the nonchalant travel professional that I am, I was running (very, very) late. As I walked (ahem, raced) through Schiphol’s main entrance I realised I had only eleven minutes to make it to my gate before it closed, including the dreaded walk through security. I got there in eight minutes.

Knowing how to navigate airports, master a stress-free stroll through security and run at 10mph through terminal buildings (in heels, of course) is only thanks to years and years and years of travelling. As I queued to board the plane, berating myself for not taking advantage of those three minutes by buying a coffee, I realised there are many signs that tell me I’m now a traveller for life and so I decided to list some of them.

With a little help from my fellow Travelettes, here are seventy-seven signs that tell you that you are a true blue, bonafide, “eating noodles for breakfast” traveller… So, how many do you relate to?

You know you’re a traveller…

When you begin at least two sentences a day with “When I was in… “

When you own a pair of Thai fisherman pants.

When there are at least ten different songs that take you back to ten different places with a tear in your eye and a smile on your face.

When you know the value of walking in the sea on your own.

When your boss doesn’t ask why you want time off, he/she just says “Where are you going this time?”.

When you know exactly where the “Travel” section is in your local bookstore.

When you don’t need a scale to measure your luggage… and you always know when it’s too heavy.

When you know the value of having a stash of clothes pegs, sealable sandwich bags and a head torch in your backpack.

When you find yourself thinking in a mishmash of foreign languages.

When you see nothing weird about getting your passport out just to flick through the pages and count the stamps, even on your own.

When you have or have at least considered at length a travel related tattoo (that you would need to travel back to Thailand to get, of course).

When you have a collection of SIM cards from around the world and you keep hold of them, just in case…

When you can say thank you in more than ten different languages – go on try!

When navigating your way around a new country or city by public transport excites you as much as it scares you.

When you are perfectly content with a beach and sunset (and cocktail of choice) for company.

When people regularly write on your Facebook wall, “Where are you at the moment?”

When you feel a bit weird about lending someone else your backpack/suitcase… what if you need it again soon?

When your friends always ask you for holiday advice.

When you have Travelettes saved in your bookmarks (good girl!).

When you hire a bike in Amsterdam, hop on the tube in London and jump in a yellow cab in New York… just like the locals do.

When there are some books you just can’t give away because you read them during a life-changing journey.

When you have bravely tried durian.

When you have friends from all over the world but you didn’t meet them in their (or your) country of origin.

When you can tell the difference between Singha and Chang and you definitely prefer one to the other (I’m a Singha girl!).

When you find throwing out the pair of flip flops that got your round South America a very emotional event.

When you can tell the different between the sun in Europe, Asia and Australia.

When you own more than five bikinis.

When your toiletries bag isn’t the size of a suitcase; there are very few places you can’t buy shampoo these days.

When you can do currency exchanges in your head and it doesn’t hurt. Well, not all the time.

When you stay in on a Friday and Saturday night because you’re saving for your next trip and you don’t even mind looking at everyone’s drunk photos afterwards. Hey, remember, hangovers are happier when you’re travelling, kinda.

When you have an impressive collection of photos of you doing one particular pose in a number of different locations across the world.

When your Mum/Grandma/best friend has a stack of your postcards on their mantelpiece.

When your New Years’ Resolutions include country names.

When you keep airplane boarding pass stubs.

When you don’t even own an iron.

When you have a Thelma to your Louise.

When you know that in many parts of the world a scooter is a family vehicle for four… or more.

When you keep your toiletries and make up in a wash bag at home, even though you have space to unpack.

When you know the airport codes for at least ten airports.

When you always have a bottle of hand wash detergent.

When you get slightly less annoyed with tourists in your home city compared to everyone else; you get why they are here.

When you know that there are parts of the world where the ocean is so blue, a camera just can’t do it justice.

When you’re relied upon in pub quizzes to answer questions about capital cities.

When you apply sunscreen before you’ve even stepped outside, you know how sneaky that sun is and how painful sunburn can be.

When you have a credit card that allows you to collect air miles.

When an upgrade to business class would make you happier than a hundred birthdays.

When you magically overcome a fear of needles to get your vaccinations.

Ahahaha while probably most of these apply to me, a good number of them I am chalking up to having grown up partially in Thailand and just traveling back and forth all the time. But I also consider myself a traveller for life

oh dear! I can relate to a rather large number of these. For now though, my travels are largely on hold whilst the kids grow up. But as soon as they’ve flown the nest I will be working through my list of far flung destinations to visit. For now I am all about what to pack in that lunchbox! x

# 13 September 2013 at 4:24 am

Frankie (author) said:

Thanks Caroline for commenting! I guess, that’s the good thing about being a traveller for life, you also know that travel will wait and you’ll still be a pro when you do get back to venturing afar

# 13 September 2013 at 4:32 am

Frankie (author) said:

Thanks Nicky – number 25 just makes me want to drink a Singha right now!

haha great post! I do relate to many of your topics. Greetings from Venezuela! keep on enjoying the world. happy travels!

# 29 September 2013 at 1:44 pm

Uwe said:

Thanks for this posting. I dragged my kids around the world. Now as adults they follow your footsteps. You are British (it’s Mum, not Mom). Another sign: If you are a US citizen…you have a passport! Or you know the difference between Slovakia and Slovenia.

# 8 October 2013 at 6:56 pm

Frankie (author) said:

Thank you Joao Leitao and Uwe

# 21 October 2013 at 1:38 pm

Morgan Le Polak said:

Hoooo! I was laughing so much when I was reading it! So true! Thank you for that!

[...] 77 signs that you’re a traveller for life… by Travelettes: I love these lists of Travelettes. They are entertaining, funny, you recognize yourself in so many situations and cannot stop smiling while reading the whole article. I seriously couldn’t count the signs I related to. [...]

# 13 May 2014 at 6:19 am

Soumya said:

Really loved going through the list. I myself can relate to at least 60 of them. One more thing is – the moment I come back from one trip, before I reach home, I am already planning my next trip

And maybe one more… When your screensavers are always about where you’ve travelled in the world, and you change them often, because they bring so much daily joy & there are are SO many things you want to remember of each of your trips!

31/77 and def. smashing number 7 I am quite pleased with this results, meaning maybe my life will be less hectic in the next few years (edit: less hectic – who am I kidding?? ) Thanks for the entertaining inspirative article!!

# 16 November 2014 at 3:37 am

Pat Wald said:

This is dee-mak(very good).. Had fun reading through & realizing I can relate to most of them, especially the ones regarding Thailand. Had a house in Samut Prakin, only 15 – 20 minutes from downtown Bangkok on a good traffic day! Rode on a motorcycle most of the time. They are crazy drivers there!! I have seen entire families, including babies on 1 motorcycle. I like the new lite Chang, Singha is good, but I like Leo too. No snake whiskey for me. But love the food on the street!! Don’t love squatty potties. Always have a hand fan & TP with me. The hospital is Amazing, have appt in the am & have results by 3 or 4 the same day, & its state of the art!! I must say though when you have breast, watching a little Thai girl give you a mammogram is quite hilarious! They don’t know what to do with them & you end up laughing & helping them wrestle them into the right place!! I have a Thai girl/daughter in ChiangRi that we started sponsoring when she was sold for $50 by her brother when she was 5. She is now 22 & she has a little boy who is almost 2 that I someday hope to get to see, but doubtful cuz my Ex abandoned me without a penny & ran off with his best friends wife of 30 yrs, 7 kids & 4 grand kids!! Anyway, I love Thailand, the Red Bull, the food, the body & foot massages & the people are wonderful & it definitely is the land of smiles!! I love to travel & hope to get to do it again someday!! Sahwadee-Kah & kop-kun-kah

That’s not being a traveler. Rather just a basic tourist…nothing exceptional here.
Being a traveler for me is more being an expat, having this sense of living your life in many different countries at the same time. I’ve experienced 5 different countries so far and as much different kinds of lifestyle…